


Vignette--Light

by wheel_pen



Series: Viridian Mal [11]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fish out of Water, Gen, Imprinting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-15
Updated: 2013-04-15
Packaged: 2017-12-08 14:28:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/762387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wheel_pen/pseuds/wheel_pen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mal sees a little blue light. He decides to catch it and give it to Trip. Easier said than done.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vignette--Light

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Viridians appear human, but are actually aliens who imprint on other people (Viridian or otherwise) and form a bond with them. They also live their entire life cycle in about six Earth years.
> 
> 2\. In each series, a different character is a Viridian, who was raised by mean Klingons on an outpost. An Enterprise crewmember is captured by the Klingons and they inadvertently form a bond with the Viridian, who helps them escape. Then they return to rescue the Viridian and bring them aboard the Enterprise. The Viridian homeworld is contacted and the Enterprise crew learn the Viridian will most likely die if they are sent away. So they end up staying on the Enterprise, and the crewmember has to adjust.
> 
> 3\. The bad words are censored. That’s just how I do things.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this AU. I own nothing and appreciate the chance to play in this universe.

             Just another day in Engineering. It was all quite pleasant, really. The warm hum of the machines, the smiles everyone greeted each other with, Trip working so diligently on some problem Mal understood not at all. Just lovely. Mal could absorb the words Trip was saying to his ensign, puzzle over them a bit, watch the commands Trip inputted, dodge out of Trip's way when he moved like a whirlwind across the floor. Sometimes Trip would ask him to put a tool away or bring him some coffee, and sometimes Trip would pat his shoulder or even smile at him, and Mal felt he had all he could ask for in life. Well, except perhaps for a very small snack, it'd been nearly an hour since lunchtime after all…

            Then he saw the light. It was small and sapphire blue, clear and bright, darting across the metalwork like a bird or a butterfly. Mal's eyes jumped swiftly, trying to follow it—a pleasing challenge for his reflexes. He felt drawn to the little blue light, mesmerized by it. The thought occurred to him, _I could catch the little blue light. I could catch the little blue light and give it to Trip._ And so he tried.

            "Um, Commander?" Ensign Ramirez said tentatively.

            "Yes?" Trip didn't take his eyes off the panel he was studying.

            "Is it okay that Mal's up there?" Trip followed her pointing finger to the metal lattice housing the lift platform. Mal was scrambling all over it at top speed, sideways, diagonal, upside-down, like a bug with heatstroke.

            "Mal!" Trip shouted with annoyance. When was this guy gonna learn how to behave? "Mal, get down from there!" There was no sign that Mal heard him, which was a little unusual. Usually Mal would at least flash him a _look_ before continuing. Trip jogged over to the base of the lift, trying to figure out how he was going to get up high enough to grab Mal if he didn't come down. "Mal! Get off that thing, you'll break your neck!"

            At last Mal came within range—though not, it seemed, in response to Trip—and the engineer snagged his collar, yanking him back down to the deck plating. "Mal, are you listening to me?" Trip demanded, but Mal wasn't even looking at him; his eyes were slightly glazed and twitching like crazy. Trip snapped his fingers in front of the other's man face, already envisioning spending the rest of the day in Sickbay while Phlox investigated this weird seizure.

            Finally Mal blinked a few times and refocused on Trip. "Hmmm? What?" he mumbled, a bit dazed. Then, excitedly, "Ooh! A light!" and he tried to climb up the metalwork again.

            Trip clapped one hand over Mal's eyes, holding the back of his head with the other. A blue pinpoint of light danced randomly on the lift housing and Trip turned awkwardly, trying to determine its source. Finally he saw one of his ensigns working a few meters away, repairing some loose wiring under a panel. The glowing tip of the laser micrometer reflected off the back of the metal housing, sending a glowing blue dot bouncing around the opposite wall as the man worked.

            "Abijou!" Trip shouted. "Put a barrier up between you and the rest of the room."

            "Sir?" the ensign asked in confusion, crawling out to stare at his boss.

            "Get an extra panel or a screen or, h—l, just have someone stand in front of you," Trip ordered, still holding Mal. He spoke with the confidence of one used to having his commands followed without question. But because he didn't want his crew to think he was a _total_ wacko… "The light from that thing's drivin' him crazy," indicating Mal.

            "Yes, sir," Abijou responded quickly, setting the tool aside and heading off to find a barrier. He knew better than to disobey his boss—wacko or not.


End file.
